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What's the sound of the 650?

5K views 28 replies 25 participants last post by  Bikehigh 
#1 · (Edited)
Just for fun...

How would you describe the sound of the 650? I've had my 2014 for about a month now and I can't quite put my finger on it.

1. Harley's are known for their distinctive 'pop-pop-pop' sound.
2. I hear KLR650 owners talk a lot about the low-end 'grunt' that their bikes have.
3. I've spent some time riding in India and Royal Enfield owners love the classic 'thump' of that bike.

What are some others? What's the distinctive sound of the Strom?

Dave
 
#5 ·
To me, the mélange of sounds my '15 wee make is a symphony of remembered wonderful noises like Reg Pridmore headed up the big sweeper on the old Laguna Seca track or like Yvonne Duhamel's hard acceleration on the Kawasaki. Short Stroke motors that luv to rev are the best ! If you haven't heard it, check out the sound the new Ducati 4cyl. superbike makes...That is what my 650 sounds like to me...
 
#6 ·
At 3k rpm or less - diesel powered egg beater with a whir whistle in the exhaust.

4K and above - engine magic


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#7 ·
Interesting replies....

Contrary to what others have said, I actually prefer the sound of the motor at low rpm's. Once above 4k, I feel like I just associate the sound with 'strain.'

I love the way the bike sounds as soon as I hit the ignition switch and start it up. I can't put a name on the sound overall, but to me, the 650 sounds confident without being cocky.

@kd70qc: I definitely pick up on the "whir whistle" in the exhaust. That's a definite feature of the sound at low rpm's.
 
#9 ·
" Once above 4k, I feel like I just associate the sound with 'strain.' "

Take to the top. THe motor sings when passing a herd of sluggy Hardleys at 9 grand in third.
I've heard folks cry about taking the BMW twins over 4K rpm. They don't appreciate the engines are designed to function to redline. Take it there once in awhile and listen to it sing!
 
#10 ·
I'd describe the sound as anemic, or pathetic. Lol. I'd love to put a louder pipe on, but having a quiet ride is new to me and I kinda like it that way - quiet. I can now use my Cardo Bluetooth for phone calls and listening to music. I always loved having a loud bike because whenever I saw a deer I would pull in the clutch and rev the bike and it would scare the deer. With my strom, I think the deer would laugh if I revved at them... all that being said, still love the bike.


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#12 · (Edited)
When I first got my 650, I remember thinking the sound reminded me of the space-car George Jetson drove in the cartoon, The Jetsons.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTq6Tofmo7E

Or a sewing machine.

I prefer the sound of the 650 over the 1000, which seems less refined.
 
#15 ·
Let it rev, and the intake honk sounds quite lovely. These race twins with a proper race type exhaust make beautiful music, and my XT honestly makes pretty quiet mechanical engine noises imho. My exhaust seems to have gotten a bit deeper tone around 5K ago, I think it sounds pretty damn good.
 
#17 ·
The exhaust note on my V2 also got deeper after a couple thousand miles. Has different tones and resonances at different rpm, I use it as an aural shift indicator.


What I don't get about mine is that the SV650 next door sounds great; solid, thumping power, like a Ducati. My DL650 doesn't have that solid sound. It kind of wheezes out of the exhaust, and there's quite a bit of sheet metal buzz and rattle, even though it's only got 16k on it. Over 6000 rpm it sounds better, but maybe because the exhaust is drowning all of the sheet metal noise.

One thing I really like is that it is reasonably quiet when I start it, so I don't scare people in parking lots. It's also quieter than my old Sprint, and it doesn't alarm horses (there are quite a few in my "neigh"borhood).
Stop now before you make a complete foal of yourself. :laugh2:
 
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#16 ·
What I don't get about mine is that the SV650 next door sounds great; solid, thumping power, like a Ducati. My DL650 doesn't have that solid sound. It kind of wheezes out of the exhaust, and there's quite a bit of sheet metal buzz and rattle, even though it's only got 16k on it. Over 6000 rpm it sounds better, but maybe because the exhaust is drowning all of the sheet metal noise.

One thing I really like is that it is reasonably quiet when I start it, so I don't scare people in parking lots. It's also quieter than my old Sprint, and it doesn't alarm horses (there are quite a few in my "neigh"borhood).
 
#18 ·
There is definitely more mechanical noise than I expected, but perhaps that is because the exhaust is so quiet. There is a bit of a V-twin rumble underneath, but no potato-potato-potato.

It's the love child of a small displacement HD and a high-revving Singer sewing machine!

In any case, it sounds pretty good around 7K to me.
 
#20 · (Edited)
At almost 70k my 650 has developed a bit of a pop pop on occasion when being revved at a stop. Livens up the lower end of the Rev range for sure. But like others have said, I do love the distinct almost screaming it does at high revs sustained. I do not have nor do I ever intend to add any type of aftermarket pipe. My 800 bucks will go towards a better cause.

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#24 ·
I have always tried comparing the sound of my '12 Wee to my past bikes.

My '83 Honda Nighthawk 550, with it's dual-megaphone pipes, had a throaty growl that belied its displacement.

The '98 Kawasaki Concours ZG1000 was my 'Jetsons' bike, and it took me a while to accept that the audible whirring of the timing chain was a desired component of the bike's character.

For the Wee, I still haven't quite been able to adequately describe its exhaust note. An anemic growl, perhaps? Throatiness, with a dash of whir? Puff-puff rather than pop-pop?

Elocution fails me.
 
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